A propos yesterday's comments on leadership - like everybody else I received Tom A's email briefing on the Pathfinder Project and its potential job loss consequences. I found myself biting my lip when I read it - it wasn't the deftest handling of a sensitive issue, especially since the programme has been rolling for a while already. In other words, what was not even a drama and is very probably a positive story about efficient management and partnership working over a period of a few years has been turned into a crisis. And why?
Well, one answer is simple cock-up...somebody, working in their own wee box, took their eye of the ball ...
another is the Administration (if it was consulted at all) didn't compute the information, underplayed its importance and inexperience played its part
or maybe it is conspiracy...after all the pathfinder project was all about 'back house' services and I don't think homehelps are anything except frontline, so I am inclined to think an opportunity has been seized to muddle the current administration's cuts strategy (and blame labour for the fiscal mess) and labour's longer term strategy of efficiency savings.
The answer will lie probably somewhere between all these options - but whatever, the Evening News has got it right...COUNCIL IN CRISIS - again!
The only thing that really puzzles me is this...why is Edinburgh losing so many jobs? Logic surely demands that centralising services means the biggest authority retains more staff and the smaller authorities lose out? Are we doing our own version of Scottish Executive decentralisation? Or am I missing something here?
Friday, 30 November 2007
Thursday, 29 November 2007
Trust
Yesterday I attended the board meeting of the EICC and was most impressed: the sheer professionalism of the organisation was self evident and its self confidence understandable. As is so often the case the quality of leadership is critical...Hans Rissman doesn't need me to say it, but it is obvious he runs a tight and successful ship.
I am interested in leadership...from personal observation successful leaders come in different shapes and many sizes yet all share one commodity, the ability to inspire trust in those they lead... and that nearly always comes down to good judgement. Get it wrong and you'll soon be found out.
Which brings me neatly to tonight's news about Wendy Alexander. Our leader has admitted her team has acted outside the law...this is not good news.
I am interested in leadership...from personal observation successful leaders come in different shapes and many sizes yet all share one commodity, the ability to inspire trust in those they lead... and that nearly always comes down to good judgement. Get it wrong and you'll soon be found out.
Which brings me neatly to tonight's news about Wendy Alexander. Our leader has admitted her team has acted outside the law...this is not good news.
Wednesday, 28 November 2007
And now Royston faces the cosh too
Last night at Muirhouse Community Council I heard a rumour which at first I dismissed as risible...ever suspicious though, I checked this whisper and it has come roaring back at me...
It seems that the new community wing at Royston/Wardieburn...already confirmed in the capital budget [which should have started last year but was held up by endless revisions in design] and the refurbishment of Royston Primary School is now officially 'under review'...code for 'might get dropped'.
I can hardly believe it but it seems I must...especially (so it is whispered) because the Convenor is under pressure to deliver on Burdiehouse Community Centre. Now, I have no angst against the good people of Burdiehouse - they deserve a new community centre, I'm sure - but so do the good people of Granton. I hope it is not true but I fear the worst. Should it come to pass there will be an almighty reaction from the community.
I have alerted my ward colleagues. It will be interesting to see how they react.
It seems that the new community wing at Royston/Wardieburn...already confirmed in the capital budget [which should have started last year but was held up by endless revisions in design] and the refurbishment of Royston Primary School is now officially 'under review'...code for 'might get dropped'.
I can hardly believe it but it seems I must...especially (so it is whispered) because the Convenor is under pressure to deliver on Burdiehouse Community Centre. Now, I have no angst against the good people of Burdiehouse - they deserve a new community centre, I'm sure - but so do the good people of Granton. I hope it is not true but I fear the worst. Should it come to pass there will be an almighty reaction from the community.
I have alerted my ward colleagues. It will be interesting to see how they react.
Monday, 26 November 2007
Granton Primary School
Tonight I met with representatives from the Granton Primary School Parents Council to provide feedback on a recent meeting with Gillian Tee about the plans to relocate the school.
Originally agreed through community consultation it is an important element in a package of measures to regenerate Royston/Wardieburn. The planned rebuild is intended to create a school that is a shared facility linking the 'old' Granton with the 'new' waterfront.
The other elements are all well in hand namely, the refurbishment of Royston Primary School, the replacement of the Royston/Wardieburn Community Centre and the creation of a new supported housing complex in Royston Mains Crescent to allow for the demolition of sheltered housing at Granton Crescent which is intended as the site for the new school.
The purpose of my meeting with Ms Tee was to establish that with £1 million committed and the approximate £3 million + value of the current school site already in the pot, that the balance of £4 million would be committed in the the forthcoming 3 years capital budget.
I am sorry I had to report bad news to the Granton parents.
A big factor in Ms Tee's downbeat assessment was due to the Scottish Government's failure thus far to identify an alternative source of funding to PPP and obviously Granton PS is not unique in this regard. More worryingly though, was the emerging possibility of a reprioritisation of projects which could downgrade Granton from 'new build' to 'refurbishment'. This would be extremely disadvantageous for several reasons:
...£1 million won't go far in refurbishing a big, old fashioned building when even the quote to refurbish the playground and replace the perimeter fencing is estimated at £100k+
...with two or even 3 new primary schools to the north (on the waterfront); with the emerging possibility of a replacement building for Wardie Primary School to the east; with a fully refurbished Royston PS with a new community wing to the west, Granton would be in a poor position to compete in future for pupils
...failure to proceed punches a big hole in community aspirations for a revitalised Granton
The parents received the news with the same dismay I felt and are preparing themselves to campaign ...
Originally agreed through community consultation it is an important element in a package of measures to regenerate Royston/Wardieburn. The planned rebuild is intended to create a school that is a shared facility linking the 'old' Granton with the 'new' waterfront.
The other elements are all well in hand namely, the refurbishment of Royston Primary School, the replacement of the Royston/Wardieburn Community Centre and the creation of a new supported housing complex in Royston Mains Crescent to allow for the demolition of sheltered housing at Granton Crescent which is intended as the site for the new school.
The purpose of my meeting with Ms Tee was to establish that with £1 million committed and the approximate £3 million + value of the current school site already in the pot, that the balance of £4 million would be committed in the the forthcoming 3 years capital budget.
I am sorry I had to report bad news to the Granton parents.
A big factor in Ms Tee's downbeat assessment was due to the Scottish Government's failure thus far to identify an alternative source of funding to PPP and obviously Granton PS is not unique in this regard. More worryingly though, was the emerging possibility of a reprioritisation of projects which could downgrade Granton from 'new build' to 'refurbishment'. This would be extremely disadvantageous for several reasons:
...£1 million won't go far in refurbishing a big, old fashioned building when even the quote to refurbish the playground and replace the perimeter fencing is estimated at £100k+
...with two or even 3 new primary schools to the north (on the waterfront); with the emerging possibility of a replacement building for Wardie Primary School to the east; with a fully refurbished Royston PS with a new community wing to the west, Granton would be in a poor position to compete in future for pupils
...failure to proceed punches a big hole in community aspirations for a revitalised Granton
The parents received the news with the same dismay I felt and are preparing themselves to campaign ...
Saturday, 24 November 2007
Vegas
Forty three hours of travelling all in, just to see my boy married. I tell you a mother can do no more.
Announcing he was getting married in a fortnight was bad enough; telling us it was in Vegas was even worse; but being married by Elvis was the worst of all. For anybody interested enough I understand it is still on the web http://www.cupidswedding.com/ (stuart/jenny). The 'real' wedding service was conducted by a very kind preacher who managed to make this most surreal of surreal occasions feel serious and sincere... the Elvis bit was pure hilarity. The White Chapel was something else altogether...as is Vegas...
Highlights: definitely the wedding...the wedding supper in the Bellagio Hotel's Picasso restaurant - fountains dancing to the music of Sinatra and Pavarotti and the literally the best food I have ever tasted...The Strip, utterly unbelievable - especially Caesar's Palace...a helicopter trip to the Grand Canyon and a champagne picnic next to the Colarado River in Arizona, pinch myself, can this be real?... discovering the magic of apple/gin martini
Low points: 42 hours travelling especially Los Angelos airport, a dirty unfriendly hell- hole...losing $200 dollars in less than 5 minutes at the black jack table...recovering from the magic of apple/gin martini
What can I say?
Would I go back? YES
Would I take the same flight routes? NO
Am I broke? YES
Would I do the same again? YOU BET
Announcing he was getting married in a fortnight was bad enough; telling us it was in Vegas was even worse; but being married by Elvis was the worst of all. For anybody interested enough I understand it is still on the web http://www.cupidswedding.com/ (stuart/jenny). The 'real' wedding service was conducted by a very kind preacher who managed to make this most surreal of surreal occasions feel serious and sincere... the Elvis bit was pure hilarity. The White Chapel was something else altogether...as is Vegas...
Highlights: definitely the wedding...the wedding supper in the Bellagio Hotel's Picasso restaurant - fountains dancing to the music of Sinatra and Pavarotti and the literally the best food I have ever tasted...The Strip, utterly unbelievable - especially Caesar's Palace...a helicopter trip to the Grand Canyon and a champagne picnic next to the Colarado River in Arizona, pinch myself, can this be real?... discovering the magic of apple/gin martini
Low points: 42 hours travelling especially Los Angelos airport, a dirty unfriendly hell- hole...losing $200 dollars in less than 5 minutes at the black jack table...recovering from the magic of apple/gin martini
What can I say?
Would I go back? YES
Would I take the same flight routes? NO
Am I broke? YES
Would I do the same again? YOU BET
Saturday, 17 November 2007
Love
Just to let all regular readers know - will be away for a few days for the whirlwind wedding. Just think of the treat in store - a blog dedicated to love!
Tuesday, 13 November 2007
No time to think
Not been much time to think lately: too much going on and too little time to do it in.
Trinity Community Council last night: in scale, different certainly ... but the issues are the same: concern for community safety, concern for the local environment, concern for new facilities., but a very different approach. The Forth Partnership may be ultimately more interesting than I thought.
Today a meeting about Muirhouse Millennium Park which isn't being maintained the way it should. The officer made a list of pledges to improve the situation...he'd knows I'll be watching!
Then a poem sent by a constituent on Remembrance Sunday. He wrote and had it published in a book entitled " Anthology of British poems", nearly 20 year ago. It was written for the 75th anniversary of the first war.
Scots men of 1914-18.
The soldiers come so far away,
The piper plays the Scots wa-hae,
A haunting tune that fills the air,
Brave soldiers, they show no despair.
Into the fields of no-mans land, brave soldiers march,
The whistle blows,
The battle cry, '' For king and country, to do or die"
No time to think or reminisce of bygone days- the sergeant cries,
" Go Forward men - Go Forward.''
Into the fields of no mans land - brave soldiers march,
The piper plays for them alone,
Their eyes now closed,
They now are home.
I know he won't mind me sharing it with you -
Trinity Community Council last night: in scale, different certainly ... but the issues are the same: concern for community safety, concern for the local environment, concern for new facilities., but a very different approach. The Forth Partnership may be ultimately more interesting than I thought.
Today a meeting about Muirhouse Millennium Park which isn't being maintained the way it should. The officer made a list of pledges to improve the situation...he'd knows I'll be watching!
Then a poem sent by a constituent on Remembrance Sunday. He wrote and had it published in a book entitled " Anthology of British poems", nearly 20 year ago. It was written for the 75th anniversary of the first war.
Scots men of 1914-18.
The soldiers come so far away,
The piper plays the Scots wa-hae,
A haunting tune that fills the air,
Brave soldiers, they show no despair.
Into the fields of no-mans land, brave soldiers march,
The whistle blows,
The battle cry, '' For king and country, to do or die"
No time to think or reminisce of bygone days- the sergeant cries,
" Go Forward men - Go Forward.''
Into the fields of no mans land - brave soldiers march,
The piper plays for them alone,
Their eyes now closed,
They now are home.
I know he won't mind me sharing it with you -
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